Producing an adjustable physical dental arch model

Abstract

A method for producing a physical dental arch model having one or more physical tooth models, includes producing a digital base model compatible with the physical tooth models, producing a base having receiving features using CNC based manufacturing in accordance with the digital base model, and assembling the physical tooth models and adjustment jigs with the base at the receiving features to form the physical dental arch model.

1 . A method for producing a physical dental arch model having one or more physical tooth models, comprising: 
 producing a digital base model compatible with the physical tooth models;    producing a base having receiving features using CNC based manufacturing in accordance with the digital base model; and    assembling the physical tooth models and adjustment jigs with the base at the receiving features to form the physical dental arch model.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment jigs are capable of adjusting one or more of translational degrees of freedom and rotational degrees of freedom of the physical tooth models.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one physical tooth model is associated with two or more jigs at the corresponding receiving feature of the base.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein two jigs at a receiving feature of the base can adjust a combination of translational and/or rotational degrees of freedoms of the physical tooth models.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical dental arch model comprises a plurality of configurations each of which includes a specific set of jigs associated with respective physical tooth models at the corresponding receiving features of the base.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 assembling the physical tooth models and associated jigs with the base in a first configuration; and    assembling the physical tooth models and associated jigs with the base in a second configuration.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 fabricating the physical tooth based on input digital tooth models; and    producing the digital base model compatible with the digital tooth models.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 acquiring digital tooth models by scanning and digitizing the physical tooth models; and    producing the digital base model compatible with the digital tooth models.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving features comprise one or more of a pin, a registration slot, a notch, a protrusion, a hole, an interlocking mechanism, a jig, and a pluggable or attachable feature.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical tooth models comprise one or more features to assist the physical tooth models to be received by the base.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the features comprise one or more of a pin, a registration slot, a notch, a protrusion, a hole, an interlocking mechanism, a jig, and a pluggable or attachable feature.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical tooth models are labeled by a predetermined sequence that define the positions of the physical tooth models on the base.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving features in the base are labeled by a predetermined sequence that define the relation to the corresponding physical tooth models.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the jigs are labeled in accordance with the degrees of freedom and the extent of the adjustment they can make associated with physical tooth models.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CNC based manufacturing includes milling, stereolithography, laser machining, molding, and casting.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 automatically assembling the physical tooth models and adjustment jigs with the receiving features of the base using a programmable robot.    
   
   
       17 . A system for producing a physical dental arch model having one or more physical tooth models, comprising: 
 a computer storage device adapted to store digital tooth models for the physical tooth models;    a computer processor that is capable of generating a digital base model compatible with the digital tooth models; and    an apparatus that can fabricate the base having receiving features using CNC based manufacturing in accordance with the digital base model, wherein the physical tooth models can be assembled with adjustment jigs at the receiving features of the base to form the physical dental arch model.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment jigs are capable of adjusting the translational or rotational degrees of freedom of the physical tooth models over the base.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a device that is capable of fabricating the adjustment jigs to be assembled with the physical tooth models at the receiving features of the base.  
   
   
       20 . A physical dental arch model, comprising: 
 a base having receiving features; and    the physical tooth models associated with the receiving features on the base; and    adjustment jigs adapted to be assembled with the physical tooth models at the receiving features of the base.